Bryce Young, Team White Beat Team Crimson in 2021 Alabama Spring Game

The defending national champions returned to the field Saturday afternoon for their first A-Day in more than two years, and Team White was victorious over Team Crimson 13-10 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

With Mac Jones off to the NFL, Bryce Young is expected to take over the job he could have easily managed last year as the No. 1 quarterback in the Class of 2020. 

He starred for the winning team during the exhibition, ending the afternoon with 333 yards on 25-of-44 passing with one touchdown, while Chris Braswell sacked him three times. 

Team White got things going early when it ended its opening drive with a 22-yard field goal from Will Reichard to take a 3-0 lead. That score held until 10:26 of the second quarter, when tight end Cameron Latu scored to give his team some breathing room.

Tide head coach Nick Saban said last week he was impressed by Latu's progress heading into his junior season.

But the first scoring connection of the game also put the spotlight on defensive coordinator Pete Golding, whose unit finished 32nd nationally in 2020. After the touchdown, Saban headed over to have a word with Golding, who was coaching the Crimson side. 

Braswell hit Young with a strip-sack, and linebacker Jaylen Moody grabbed the loose ball and carried it into the end zone to get the Crimson team on the board. 

Moody, a senior, was tasked with heading up the linebackers Saturday with two of three returning stars—Will Anderson Jr. and Christian Harris—among roughly 20 players missing on A-Day. The fact that he immediately slotted in and helped wrap up a game-changing sequence highlighted Alabama's defensive depth.

Chase Allen hit a field goal to tie things with 7:47 left in the third quarter, but White got back on top via another field goal from Reichard, this one for 19 yards.

The Crimson Tide are heading into 2021 with the highest-ranked recruiting class ever, and some of the group's stars were on display Saturday—highlighted by the offensive line. Alabama pulled in the top offensive tackles in the class, JC Latham and Tommy Brockermeyer; the latter's twin brother, James Brockermeyer (the top center); and the second-best guard in Terrence Ferguson—all of whom enrolled early.

One of the biggest question marks for Alabama this season is at receiver, where the Tide will not only need to fill the hole Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith left, but also that of Jaylen Waddle. Most of the group's recruiting class at the position was in Tuscaloosa for the game. 

If Saturday's showing is any indication, Alabama could dominate again in 2021. 

Recruit rankings via 247Sports.